<h1>Bounds</h1>

<p>The Bounds data structure is used to define the area inside which shapes, 
text fields and characters are drawn. In Flash the axes are specified relative 
to the top left corner of the screen and the bounding area is defined by two 
pairs of coordinates that identify the top left and bottom right corners of a 
rectangle.</p>

<img src="bounds.gif">

<table>

<tr>
<th>Field</th>
<th>Type</th>
<th>Size</th>
<th>Description</th>
</tr>

<tr>
<td nowrap valign="top">size</td>
<td nowrap valign="top">unsigned bit</td>
<td nowrap valign="top" align="right">5</td>
<td>The number of bits used to encode the fields containing the coordinates of 
the bounding box.</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td nowrap valign="top">minX</td>
<td nowrap valign="top">unsigned bit</td>
<td nowrap valign="top" align="right">&lt;size&gt;</td>
<td>The x-coordinate of the upper left corner of the rectangle.</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td nowrap valign="top">maxX</td>
<td nowrap valign="top">unsigned bit</td>
<td nowrap valign="top" align="right">&lt;size&gt;</td>
<td>The x-coordinate of the lower right corner of the rectangle.</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td nowrap valign="top">minY</td>
<td nowrap valign="top">unsigned bit</td>
<td nowrap valign="top" align="right">&lt;size&gt;</td>
<td>The y-coordinate of the upper left corner of the rectangle.</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td nowrap valign="top">maxY</td>
<td nowrap valign="top">unsigned bit</td>
<td nowrap valign="top" align="right">&lt;size&gt;</td>
<td>The y-coordinate of the lower right corner of the rectangle.</td>
</tr>

</table>

<p>The coordinates for each corner also specify the coordinate range so specifying 
a bounding rectangle with the points (-100,-100) and (100,100) defines a rectangle 
200 twips by 200 twips with the point (0,0) located in the centre. Specifying the 
points (0,0) and (200,200) defines a rectangle with the same size however the centre 
is now located at (100,100).</p>

<p>The bounding rectangle does not clip the object when it is drawn. Lines and curves 
drawn outside of the rectangle will still be displayed. However when the bounding 
rectangle is defined for an Movie then this defines the size of the Flash 
Player screen and shapes drawn outside of the bounding rectangle will not be displayed.</p>

<h2>History</h2>

<p>Bounds corresponds to the RECT data type, in the Macromedia Flash 
(SWF) File Format Specification. It was introduced in Flash 1.</p>
